


Spring (Day 1 of TSEWeek2019)

by flyingfalconflower12



Series: TSE Appreciation Week 2019 [1]
Category: The Silver Eye (Webcomic)
Genre: Bellingrath, Boats and Ships, Curse of Obedience, Dogs, F/M, Flowers, Fluff and Angst, Gift Giving, Guards, Literal Sleeping Together, Loving Marriage, Self-Harm, Soldiers, Spring, Syllor's Curse, TSE Appreciation Week, TSE Appreciation Week 2019, TSEWeek2019, runo - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-25 16:00:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,695
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20028472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flyingfalconflower12/pseuds/flyingfalconflower12
Summary: Noah gets to see Ruya for the first time in a year, at the beginning of spring in Bellingrath.Written for Day 1 of TSE Appreciation Week 2019!  The theme was "spring," but Noah's angst kinda got away from me, lol :D





	Spring (Day 1 of TSEWeek2019)

Noah steps out onto the deck of the ship, shielding his eyes from the bright morning sunlight.

_Today's the day, _he thinks, unable to hide the small smile forming on his lips. _Today's the day I get to see Ruya for the first time in a year._

A guard in Bellingrath uniform walks up behind him, clapping him on the back. Noah jumps, glaring. The man puts his hands up defensively, smirking. "Hey, now what was that for?"

Noah doesn't respond, crossing his arms and clutching them over his chest as if to hold himself back. His dark brown eyes are filled with barely-restrained fury.

"Hey, good news! We're almost in Bellingrath! You'll never have to see me again; aren't you happy?" says the guard, his voice dripping with mockery.

"What do you _want, _Barin?" spits Noah finally, looking down into Barin's smug face.

"Whoa, he's a feisty one!" says Barin, grinning. "You were right, though; I do want something from you. Well, rather, I'd like you to do something for me."

Noah silently curses. _Why do I have to provoke him? Ruya would be _so _disappointed in me right now._ He digs his nails into his left arm, trying to stamp out his rage.

"Don't get _angry,_ of course, but--" Barin's voice is cut off by the captain yelling.

"We're here! Everybody grab their things and get ready to disembark in _Bellingrath!"_

Noah sighs in relief. Mockingly saluting an enraged Barin, he dashes down into his cabin, gathering his bags--_lighter than before._ He digs his nails into his arm again, picking up the small bouquet of flowers he'd bought with some of the little money he'd packed.

Stepping out once again into the sun, Noah squints his eyes, searching through the people waiting at the dock. His heart drops when he doesn't see Ruya in the crowd. _She's probably just a little late. She'll definitely come running up in just a second._

Barin steps up beside Noah, resting an arm on Noah's shoulder. "Can't find your girl?" he teases.

Noah pulls away, ignoring him. _Ruya would tell me to just not focus on the people trying to get a rise out of me, _he remembers. _Don't focus on him, don't focus on him, don't focus on him, _repeats Noah in his mind.

Barin quirks one eyebrow. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Noah doesn't respond.

**"Tell me what you're thinking about." **Barin flickers into darkness for a moment. The flowers Noah's holding seem to turn a dark blue and snake slowly up his arms.

He closes his eyes, focusing on his own breathing.

**Tell him, **says the voice in Noah's head. ** Do it.**

Noah digs his nails into his arm. **"Ruya,"** he blurts, his brown eyes pained. **"How she--she was telling me how to ignore--"** He clamps his mouth shut, trying to regain his composure. "Morons like you."

Barin glares. He opens his mouth to speak, but before he can say a word the ship comes to a sudden halt at the dock.

Noah just about runs.

The captain smiles at him as he passes, but Noah doesn't even spare the old man a glance. "Ruya!" he calls loudly, paying no mind to the dirty looks.

A moment passes, and Noah's heart starts to sink as he stands on the dock with his flowers. People start to move away, Barin glowering at him as he joins the other guards, and families walking off together. Just as he's about to accept that maybe she's not coming, he looks up and sees Ruya running up to the dock. She stops in front of him, out of breath.

"Noah--I'm so sorry--"

He pulls her into a crushing hug. Ruya buries her face into his shoulder, hugging him back.

"I've missed you," he murmurs.

"Me too," replies Ruya. Leaning up, she kisses him. He kisses her back, her hands in his hair, his eyes closed, trying to take it all in at once.

She pulls away, smiling up at him. He grins back.

"Oh!" he says, remembering. He lets go of Ruya, handing her the bouquet of flowers. "These are for you," he mutters, blushing.

Ruya beams, delighted. "These are wonderful!" she exclaims. Standing on her toes, she leans in and kisses him again. "Thank you."

They stand for a moment in silence, their foreheads touching, when Ruya grabs Noah's hand.

"We have so much to do today! Come on; I don't want to waste a single moment!"

* * *

An hour later, Noah and Ruya are walking through the marketplace, holding hands, and admittedly focusing much more on each other than the decorated surroundings. A group of children skip by, singing a song about the coming of spring, and Noah rolls his eyes at them.

Ruya lightly punches his arm. "Hey, be nice for once, you big oaf," she jokingly scolds, and Noah sighs but is unable to hold back a smile as Ruya squeezes his hand.

They walk for a little while longer, making small talk and looking around but mainly just enjoying each other's company.

"Oh, look!" says Ruya suddenly. "Puppies!"

In front of them, a little ways away, is a small table outside a shop decorated with flowers. On top of the table is a box filled with squirming little dogs. Two people are standing behind the box, a blonde woman and a man. Noah can't see the man very well from where he's standing, but he can tell the man is short, dark-haired, and wearing a red uniform.

He stiffens for a moment, but Ruya's pulling him up to the table and he decides it's not worth it to worry.

"Ru, we can't even keep a _plant _alive between the two of us," says Noah.

Ruya shrugs. "So we'll just look. What's the harm in that?" she says, pulling away from Noah. She waves cheerily to the woman. "Hi!" She sticks out her hand. "I'm Ruya, and this is my husband, Noah."

"Hi," says Noah quietly, unfocused, and Ruya sighs and pushes him forward. He snaps out of his train of thought, nodding to the woman and shaking her hand.

"Well, hey there!" replies the woman. "It's mighty fine to've met y'all! My name's Adeena, but, please, call me Dee; everyone around here does. This here's my fiancé, Barin." She nudges the uniformed man, and he spins to face the couple.

Noah freezes in his place. It takes him a moment to come to, and, panicked, he tugs on Ruya's sleeve. "We need to get out of here. Now," he hisses into her ear.

Ruya glowers up at him. _"What _are you talking about? Don't be a jerk."

"No, I'm serious--" he starts to say, but Ruya elbows him hard in the side and Barin's face breaks into a wide smile.

"Well, well, well, look who it is! Hey, St. Claire!" Barin exclaims, delighted. "This your girl?"

"She's my wife," replies Noah icily, putting an arm around Ruya's waist and pulling her close.

She smiles politely, puzzled at Noah's sudden hostility. Barin laughs.

"How cute! **Tell me: where did you two meet?"**

Noah squeezes his eyes shut, reaching for his arm. Ruya catches his hand and squeezes it, understanding filling her almond eyes.

**"M--medical school."** Noah's voice is halting and stuttering and he _hates _it and he wishes he could just _stay quiet._

"Hey, uh, sorry, but we have something to--" Ruya starts to say.

**"Stay."** Barin's blue eyes are cold.

"Dear, what's goin' on?" asks Dee worriedly. "What're you doin'?"

Ruya tries to pull Noah away, but he won't move. He _can't._ The blue flowers start to snake their way up the table now--almost like a mockery of the spring flowers he'd given to Ru and the ones decorating Bellingrath--and the world in Noah's eyes flickers in and out of darkness. "Come on," she whispers hurriedly. "He--he's not a Shephard; he can't be... is he?"

Noah shakes his head.

"Why don't you tell her?"Barin grins. "Come on, St. Claire; **tell her."**

Noah presses his hands to the sides of his head, trying to get a control on his emotions. Ruya grips his arm tightly, looking up into his eyes. **"I--it was. Ethelinda. I didn't have time to hide. She told me to--she told me to--listen to--**this _bastard."_

Barin's face reddens with fury. **"Don't--"** he starts to say, but Dee lifts her hand and smacks him in the face. He puts a hand to his cheek, shocked. "What was that for?"

_"That _was for disrespecting these fine people. It's that damn curse, ain't it? I'm goin' t' go talk to King Bhatair and tell 'him you're not fit t' be a soldier any longer. You can't even be nice t' a couple of young people on the street; you can't protect a king."

"Wait! Dee!" he yells, rushing after her. Turning to glare at Noah, he yells, "You can't be rid of me this easily!"

Noah ignores him, sinking into Ruya's arms. She holds him tight, whispering, "I'm so sorry; I didn't realize--"

He shakes his head. "Don't apologize. It's not your fault. Barin's just a son of a--"

"--I know." A moment passes, and Ruya presses a kiss to Noah's forehead. "He's gone. Are you okay now?" Noah nods. Ruya squeezes his hands. "Let's go."

* * *

That night, Noah lies in bed, wrapped in Ruya's embrace, his forehead against hers. The flowers he'd given her sit in a vase on her nightstand, surrounded by other little things they'd bought at the marketplace.

"Will he be on the ship on your way back to Gallitan, too?" asks Ruya, worried.

"I don't know. They need a guard. Bhatair's all the way in Preble, anyway, I think, so he wouldn't have heard about Barin yet. I refuse to send him a letter, so for all I know Barin's been promoted, not discharged."

Ruya sighs. "I'm sorry. Curses are terrible."

"Yeah." Noah closes his eyes. "At least I get to see you now."

Ruya smiles. "And I get to see you. Don't leave anytime soon."

Noah laughs softly. "I won't. 'Night."

"Good night. I love you."

"Love you too."

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!! Don't forget to leave comments and kudos, and, of course, don't forget to celebrate TSE Appreciation Week! :D


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